314 NOVATIAN THE ROMAN PRESBYTER
followHim, might have One whom even initssupplicationsit
might now callFather insteadof God. And His providence
has had or has itscourse among men, not only individually,
but alsoamong citiesthemselves,and stateswhose destruc
tionshave been announced by the words of prophets; yea,
even through the whole world itself; whose end, whose
miseries,and wastings,and sufferingson accountof unbelief
He has allotted.And lestmoreover any one shouldthink
thatsuch an indefatigableprovidenceof God does notreach
to even the very leastthings," One of two sparrows,"says
the Lord, u shallnot fallwithout the willof the Father;
but even the very hairsof your head are allnumbered."1
And His careand providencedid not permiteven the clothes
of the Israelitesto be worn out,nor even the vilestshoeson
theirfeet to be wasted ; nor, moreover, finally,the very
garments of the captiveyoung men to be burnt. And this
,is not without reason; for if He embraces allthings,and
containsallthings (and allthings,and the whole,consist
of individuals),His care will consequentlyextend evento
every individualthing,sinceHis providencereachestothe
whole,whatever itis. Hence itisthatHe alsosittethabove
the cherubim ; that is,He presidesover the varietyof His
works,the livingcreatureswhich hold the controloverthe
restbeing subjectedto His throne: a crystalcoveringbeing
thrown overallthings; thatis,theheaven coveringallthings,
which atthecommand of God had been consolidatedintoafir
mament from thefluentmaterialof thewaters,thatthestrong
hardnessthatdividesthe midstof thewatersthatcoveredthe
earthbefore,might sustainas if on itsback the weightof
the superincumbentwater,itsstrengthbeing establishedby
thefrost.And, moreover,wheelsliebelow— thatistosay,the
seasons— whereby allthe members of the world are alwap
being rolledonwards ; such feetbeing added by which those
thingsdo not standstillforever,but passonward. And, more
over,throughoutalltheirlimbs they are studdedwitheyes;
for the works of God must be contemplatedwith an ever
watchful inspection: in the heartof which things,a fireof
1Matt.x.29,30.